Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....O'Brien, Sarah (Ormslee) 1897
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Sandy Heintzelman sheintz@iserv.net July 24, 2011, 11:43 am

Ionia Standard, 29 Oct 1897

Mrs. Charles O’Brien committed suicide, Friday eve., at the Walker boarding
house, opposite Dr. Defendorf’s residence.  The motive was jealousy, of this
there is no question.  How much ground there was for the feeling is not quite so
clear.

Charles O’Brien is a brakeman on the D., G.R. & W. railroad.  He has lived in
Ionia only since last spring, and has a limited acquaintance outside of his
immediate circle of train hands, who are mostly absent from the city.  He has
worked at railroading since his marriage about ten years ago, most of the time
for the C.&W.M., when his home was in Grand Rapids.  He has not kept house since
coming to Ionia, but has boarded at different places, coming to the Walker house
on the 29th of last month.  Previous to that he boarded with A.J. Fredrickson,
also a brakeman on the same road.

Mr. O’Brien claims, of course, that the jealousy of his wife was a kind of
insanity, without any foundation in fact, and that he had borne much from her,
and had treated her kindly.  Mr. Walker says he never knew him to be drunk or
ill treat his wife, and of course pretends to no knowledge of the wife’s cause
of trouble.  Mr. Walker and others are naturally quite reticent in speaking
about this phase of the case, but the conclusion is reached that the woman’s
life was made miserable by her jealousy, and that it led to occasional wrangling
between the two.  Just how much to blame the husband was, and how much the wife,
is not easy to ascertain.

She attempted suicide on same afternoon, by taking carbolic acid, in the
presence of her husband, but he wrenched the bottle from her, the liquid
spilling and burning both somewhat.  She also attempted suicide about ten days
ago, by same means.  The druggist where she obtained the first bottle yesterday
was warned by husband to sell her no more.  The second bottle she obtained at
another store.

It was six o’clock at night when the family finished supper, and O’Brien started
for his train, the through freight east which leaves about 7, he having some
work to do before starting.  His wife called him back by tapping on the window,
and asked him if he wasn’t coming in.  He said it was late, and he must go to
his work.  She then picked up a cup and drank its contents.  Knowing well what
to expect, O’Brien ran across the street for Dr. Defendorf, who came at once,
but whose efforts were unavailing.  After lingering until 11:10, she died.

Her age was 26, and she leaves two children, a boy of 7 and a girl of 3.  They
have lost two children.  She has no relatives here; a sister lives in Grand
Rapids, and her parents at Marcellus.  Her former home was Kalamazoo, where her
parents lived at time of her marriage, and where remains will be taken for
interment, leaving here on the 6:10 train.


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